She thought his misery would stimulate his energies.

At last, crouching in ambush as it were, with his ears wide open, he began to look about him like a thief seeking his opportunity.

At the beginning of 1848, when his brother left for Paris, he had a momentary idea of following him.

But Eugene was a bachelor; and he, Aristide, could not take his wife so far without money.

So he waited, scenting a catastrophe, and ready to fall on the first prey that might come within his reach.
The other son, Pascal, born between Eugene and Aristide, did not appear to belong to the family.